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Most free and/or cheap ebooks fall into one of four categories:
- Classic literature
- Trashy romance
- Bad trashy romance
- Self-published works of varying quality
Sometimes it’s important to read for quantity and not quality, which is why the following books are all category 2: trashy lesbian romance. Concentration of sex scenes and/or subsequent U-hauling may vary.
Quality of cover design may also vary.
Taming The Wolff, by Del Robertson
Featuring a rogue pirate with the sea as her mistress and a woman abducted and held for ransom, Taming the Wolff is the lesbian version of all those pirate-riddled Harlequins your grandmother possibly read and may have lent you when you were definitely too young and also too gay for them.
Turn Me Out, by T. Ariez
When Angel starts to realize she has feelings for her best friend, Ace, she decides to risk everything by pursuing her as the two overcome challenges to stud/stud romance. (Sistahs on the Shelf also recently posted an interview with author T. Ariez.)
Angel Food and Devil Dogs, by Liz Bradbury
Part mystery, part lesbian romance and more than occasionally hilarious, Angel Food and Devil Dogs is more smut with a bit of mystery than mystery with a bit of smut.
Fitting In, by Robin Roseau
Nicole, an introverted computer programmer with cerebral palsy, meets Alexandra, an athletic beautiful older woman, at a party. The two fly together, but their differences, families and competitive natures threaten to drive them apart.
Stolen Moments, edited by Stacia Seaman and Radclyffe
This lesbian erotica collection won the 2005 Lambda Award for best anthology, and features contributors such as Karen L. Perry, Clio Jones, Renée Strider, J.C. Chen, Lesley Davis, Meghan O’Brien, Ronica Black and more.
Never Wake, by Gabrielle Goldsby
The entire world falls asleep except for Emma Webster, love interest Troy Nanson, and a scary murderer. Opposites attract, have hot lesbian sex and then try to save the world.
Forever Tangled: A Collection of Poems and Stories from the Heart and between the Thighs, by Monique Thomas
Forever Tangled is a short book of erotic poetry by debut author Monique Thomas. Poems include “Fuck Me in the Morning,” “Wet” and “No Chaser.”
Second Chances, by M.J. Duncan
After a bitter break up and eight years apart, sports journalist Charlie Bennett runs into her ex Mackayla when she accepts a guest lecturer position at a small university. Charlie sees their encounter as a chance to live happily ever after. Macayla doesn’t.
Debut, by Catherine Ennis
Abbie and Tracy run a women’s retreat on a mountain. Tracy decides she needs a change, but will Abbie convince her to stay? This short story was originally published in 1996.
Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
This classic 1872 gothic novella is all about lesbian vampires. Laura’s family takes in Carmilla, who spends most of the day inside asleep, doesn’t like religion, seems to appear in a portrait hundreds of years old and has a penchant for biting Laura on the chest, kissing her and telling her, “You are mine, you shall be mine, and you and I are one for ever.”
I’ve been looking for some cheap easy reads for going back to school, sometimes my brain needs a break from all the essays and long academic reading. These look like the perfect mix of cheesy and smutty for fun reading :)
Awesome Carolyn! I’m always looking for new bits of sexy escapism. :)
Taming the Wolff surprised me with how well written it is actually. I really liked the detail and had a lot of fun. It’s all set up for a sequel but so far it’s Robertson’s only book. It’s a shame.
Also while I agree that the majority of books in this genre and price range are “trashy” there are some talented writers who self-publish for whatever reason. Usually because it’s hard to get published when you write stories whith characters like this.
I really want to recommend one of my new favorite authors, Cassandra Duffy. http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4606319.Cassandra_Duffy
She just keeps getting better and better. Her imagination is amazing and she writes some awesome scifi with deep complex worlds that she’s not afraid to take time fleshing out. She has great heroines and she can write really hot sex too (she also has books of erotica) but the stories aren’t in service to the sex scenes which is how I like it. I like the sex, but I want the book to be well written and about something besides it.
Anyway her stuff is around $6 and and I definitely reccomend checking it out.
http://www.amazon.com/Cassandra-Duffy/e/B004V71IZY/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1376602956&sr=1-2-ent
I’m really excited to hear that about Taming the Wolff! Fingers crossed for a sequel. I have been really into pirate stuff after reading the Lies of Locke Lamora series, which gets increasingly pirate-y but is also not queer focused.
why. fucking. not? thanks!
Two days ago I was just in that sort of mood and searching the internet for a list like this.
You are a beautiful and wonderful human for putting this together right when i needed it most.
*blushing*
Trashy romance novels are my fave fro unplugging after long weeks of academics and dissertation and lesbian versions that are readable are SO HARD to find! Thanks for this.
Carolyn, thank you for mentioning Fitting In. And I see a few books on the list that I’ve been wondering about. Which one first, that is the question.
Good stuff here!
If I might make a couple more recs under 5$, two Sarah Waters books, THE NIGHT WATCH and FINGERSMITH are available on audible for under 5 dollars right now, which is a huge steal. DEEP DECEPTION and RULEBREAKER by Cathy Pegau are two scifi romance novels that I enjoyed quite a bit, both available for $1.99 or something ridiculously cheap.
I love The Night Watch